Track-clearing implement



E. B. MEYER TRACK CLEARING IMPLEMENT 'Nov. 24, 1936.

Filed April 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. EC/Wara B. Meyer L da WFig. 3

Nov. 24, 1936. E. B. MEYER 2,061,585

I TRACK CLEARING IMPLEMENT Filed April 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIE/56 I56 i 55 I k 58 304 My. 6A

Fig. 7

INVENTOR. [Fa/Nara 5. Meyer BY ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE One object of this invention is to provide animproved track-clearing implement of the class adapted to be shoved orpulled by a suitable traction vehicle. The invention further embraces anew method and apparatus for clearing accumulations of snow and slushfrom generally planar surfaces, the operation of which will berelatively silent and result in substantially completely clearing thetrack, irrespective of the depth of accumulation, within reasonablelimits.

A further object is the provision of an apparatus adapted for use with apower-driven trackclearing implement, which will yieldingly wipe thetrack surface substantially clear of foreign matter, such as slush andwater, which lie too close to the surface to be eflectively removed byconventional mold-boards and devices commonly used for moving snow, andwhich will simultaneously operate to move the foreign matter clear ofthetrack.

A specific object is the provision of a trackclearing implement whichwill operate without the use of rotary brushes, e. g. or othermechanisms requiring special power drive, to entirely clear a pavementor sidewalksurface of snow and slush, and which will be practicallysilent in operation.

A further object is the provision of a trackcleaning apparatus which maybe operated in direct contact with the track surface in a manner toleave a substantially clean track, yet with substantially minimum wear,notwithstanding the naturally abrasive character of most track surfacesrequiring clearing, and which will operate with no likelihood ofinjuring the tracksurface.

A-specific object is to provide a snow plow or shovel of the classshown, which, when used to move wet snow or slush, will substantiallydry, as well as clear the track surface.

Another object is to provide a snow plow blade which will be automaticin its action in riding over projections on the trackway and returningto the normal trackway surface-all without the use of springs and hingeconnections. and without requiring that any more of the track-contactingelement of the implement than a portion the width of the projectionshall leave the track surface.

Other objects include the provision of a tough and wear-resistingelastic track-contacting element for a snow plow or shovel or trackclearing implement of substantially any kind adapted for power drive andhaving a mold-board, which element will operate effectively with themold-board disposed at any angle to the direction of move ment and atsubstantially any operating angle with reference to the track; which maybe adiustably supported on the plow or shovel, so that the workingsurface or edge of the element may be easily and quickly changed inoperative effect 5 and renewed whenever necessary on account of wear,etc.; which is or may be suitably reinforced ,to strengthen it or extendits useful life, and

which will be self-adjusting for reverse movement, i. e. backing up,notwithstanding normal 10 disposition such that, if rigid, thetrack-engaging portion of the implement would have to be raised clear ofthe track in order to avoid damage either to the track or to theimplement during such reverse movement.

" Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, relating to the accompanying drawings. Theessential characteristics are summarized in the claims. a 20 In thedrawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view, 7 showing a suitable type ofmold-board and. support. and the cooperative relationship with themold-board of the new arrangement hereof in one form; Fig. 2 is afragmentary front elevation of 25 the arrangement shown in Fig. 1; Figs.3 to 6 are transverse sectional views of the lower portions ofmold-boards equipped with various different em- -ment thereof; Fig. 6ais a fragmentary view of the track-contacting element, shown in Fig. 6,and Fig. Tis a side elevation showing the new device separate from themain mold-board element of the implement but having a mold-board element35 of its own.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, l indicates the mold-board and 2 a suitablepusher and supporting frame therefor with an adjustable strut 3,connecting the frame with the upper portions 40 of the mold-board so asto rigidly brace the latter while permitting the forward inclination ofthe mold board to be adjusted in suitable fashion. The mold-board may beof any suitable shape.

While the supporting frame illustrated is of the pusher type, wherebythe mold-board may be attached to a traction vehicle such as anautomobile truck or tractor, ahead of the front wheels, this is notessential to the present arrangement.

The mold-board may be positioned at any other I.

5 connected at their forward portions as by a pivot 6, with the bracingstructure of the main mold-board, upright angles 1, as shown. A pair ofthese la support, between them, the pivot of the bars 5 and the strut 3,as shown. The connections between the pusher bars and the moldboard alsoinclude a vertical pivot shown at 8, so that the angle of the mold-boardmay be adjusted with reference to the track surface, a sector bar 9being shown riding under the bars 5 and secured thereto by conventionalmeans for holding the mold-board at the desired angle.

Conventional vertically adjustable caster supports are shown at I5,preferably holding the lower rigid edge of the mold-board spaced 8.short distance from the track surface. Skids may be used instead ofroller casters, and any suitable hoist, not shown, may be used for thepurpose of suspending the mold-board in proper elevation above thetrackway for operation and carrying when idle. 4

The connection between the frame 2 and the traction unit A (only thewheels and bumper being indicated) may comprise any suitablearrangement, preferably including a horizontal pivot and clamps (notshown)see, for example, my Patent 1,925,397, issued September 5th, 1933.The above described implement is only by way of an example of one form,the utility of which is affected by the essential improvement hereof.One simple form of my new arrangement is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and3. These figures show at 30 a rectangular strip of rubber secured inface-to-face relation to the lower margin of the mold-board I as bybolts 3|. The strip in this instance is on the front side of themoldboard and extends from its lower edge say from one-half tothree-quarters of an inch, so that the mold-board buttresses the majorarea of the strip. In order to prevent buckling of the rubber strip,especially where a non-reinforced strip is used, or one with flexiblereinforcement, a metal securing and clamping strip is employed at 32,

either in one piece or in sections. This may cover as much of the areaof the strip as found necessary under practical conditions.

The flexible wiper strip 30 may be on the order of conveyor belt stock,say from 1 to inch thick, composed largely of reinforcing fabric andpreferably having fairly heavy layers of tough, pliable rubber, at leastone-eighth of an inch thick on both sides of the conventional reinforcelayers. The rubber stock is selected and cured for both toughness andabrasion-resisting qualities in accordance with practice to this end, asknown in the rubber industry. For further guidance, it is to be notedthat the rubber stock is somewhat tougher than tire tread rubber, itbeing well known that the latter is selected in part for tractioneffect, which, in the present instance, is not needed or, in fact,desired. The known expedients for producing rubber with a relatively lowco-eflicient of friction should be employed, but without sacrifice ofthe quality of toughness and strength any more than necessary. The abovediscussion of materials applies to all the illustrated forms.

For adjustment of the strip up and down, the strip may originally have aplurality of sets of holes 33 or vertical slots for receiving the boltsor securing members 3|, so that as the lower edge of the rubber stripwears away'or becomes damaged, the strip may be trimmed off and adjustedto a new position.

The same device serves to adjust the wiping action as may be foundnecessary in different dispositions of the mold-board and for operatingon different track surfaces. v The strip, particularly if made the sameon both sides, may be reversed, both from end to end and by inverting,so that a new sharp edge is available for contact with the track surfaceT, when another becomes worn, until all four longitudinal comers havebeen used up. Even then, as above noted, the strip may be trimmed offand a new set of holes 33 used for the attachment bolts and the life ofthe strip further extended.

Fig. 2 illustrates that the rubber strip 30 may be made in sections, thehorizontal limits of the sections being indicated at 30'. This device isuseful in that it permits a portion only of the entire track-contactingstrip to be replaced when damaged. In any form shown, a plurality oflayers of rubber may be formed separately from each other and clampedtogether for use ifv a plurality of independently supported wiping edgesare desired. In Fig. 3a such separate layers 30" are shown mounted asthe strip 30 is, in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, this arrangement is somewhat on the order of thatof my Patent 1,925,397, and the rubber e. g. strip 30a is supported onthe rear side of the mold-board, the rubber being retained between itsmarginal surface and a suitable reinforcing or backing member 40, which,in the channel form shown is provided with a rearwardly and downwardlyinclined web portion II. This portion 4| is generally similar to theelement which I term a safety blade" (shown in my said patent). Theunattached flange of the member 40 may be turned rearwardly upwardly, asat 42. The strip 30a passes under the member 40 so as to formsubstantially a wiping edge at 30a for contact with the track surface,as shown, andthen upwardly along the flange 42, to which the rear marginof the strip may be suitably secured as at 43. The strip clampingarrangement may include a coacting rib and groove effect, as at 44,embracing and deforming a small portion of the strip between them,longitudinally of the mold-board, so that the strip will be certain notto work loose. The strip may be originally made wide enough to permitits being moved several times in its anchorage to present a new wipingsurface at 30a and the surface itself may be serrated, as shown, forbetter wiping effect, i. e. presenting a plurality of wiping edges.

The above described form of device is better adapted for light dutyequipment and does not require any casters, or other supports forholding the mold-board off the track. By reason of the upwardly inclinedportions, both forwardly and rearwardly of the line or lines of contact,the implement may be moved forwardly, as well as rearwardly, over thetrack without having to lift the mold-board. Each time the strip ismoved to a new position, new holes may be formed for the securing meansat 43, and the excess material back cf the flange 42 may, of. course, betrimmed off.

Fig. 5 illustrates that the rubber may be joined, as by vulcanization toone side of a metal plate, for attachment in place of the usual wearblade of conventional and other moldboard forms. In the particular formshown the plate 50 is positioned in trailing relation to the mold boardI on the underside of a special flange'5l thereof, (or the usualreinforcing angle member, not shown), and rubber at 30b and/or 300 isvulcanized or otherwise joined in any known manner to one or both sidesof the plate 50, as desired,

and preferably in such manner that the metal is coextensive with therubber for fully buttressing the latter. In case the rubber is joined toboth sides of the plate, as shown, (to permit reverarrangement beingparticularly desirable in the eventa harder surface than that affordedby rubber is desired at times, say for leveling purposes, or'scrapingfrozen snow oifthetrack.

Figs. 6 and 6a show another arrangement wherein the track-contactingwiping member may be easily adjusted several times to present unwornsurfaces after other surfaces become too worn to effect the desiredoperation. Preferably the rubber member 30d (shown as fluted to provideseparate wiping blade effects), has a central metal grommet 55, and therubber may be cut away at several places to permit attachment by U-bolts56 or other suitable fastening devices which embrace the grommet, but donot come into contact with the track surface to be cleared.

As shown in Fig. 6, the rear side of the moldboard, near its lowermargin, is reinforced with a Z-bar 51, and the web portion of the 2-bit!may be perforated in suitable fashion to receive the legs of theU-bolts. the attaching nuts of which are clamped against the top of. theweb. The ends of the grommet may be provided with suitable welded onheads 58, and the U-bolts may occupy the space shown between the extremesections 30d and the heads at both ends of the unit. Whenever the rubberbecomes worn, in one region, the U-bolts may be loosened, the sectionssuitably turned to present a new wearing surface and the U-bolts thenretightened.

In the arrangement of Fig. '7, the rubber trackwiping element 30c, isarranged rearwardly from the main mold-board l, and operates to removewhatever the main mold-board rides over. Thus, the main mold-board maybe of entirely conventional construction and be provided with aconventional wear blade of such character and position in respect to thetrack that it will withstand concussion with -relatively rigidprojections on the track .surface and under most conditions dislodge orbreak the same and carry the material composing such away, leaving verylittle debris to be removed by the element 30c. Nevertheless, whateverof a readily movable nature is likely to be left on the track will bepicked up by the element 30c, which has its own mold-board la ofsuitable shape supportingthe rubber wiper element at its lower edge. 1

Both thewiper andsupport may be in general accordance with any of thepreviously described constructions (manner of attachment of rubber stripnot illustrated).

The mold-board or mold-board effect la is practically essential for thewiping element, even though only a relatively small amount of materialis to be removed thereby, and this follows from the fact that the,operation is continuous and generally at fairly high speed. If thecleared track surface width is only slightly greater than.

the usual wheel space of an automobile, and the wiper blade has only topick up an inch or so of snow or slush e. g., the accumulation towardthe discharge side (assuming the blade is angled) will be many inchesdeep and moreover, on account of speed, the rapidly accumulatingmaterial is highly active and some means must be provided to prevent.the material from being thrown over the wiper blade and being depositedbehind it onto the trackway which the blade has passed over. Themold-board la is therefore of considerable height and preferably curvedfor rolling action on the material to be moved. It may be .setapproximately as shown and yieldingly suspended or supported, as on arms60, preferably so arranged that the wiper and board unit may swing fromthe active position shown to an inactive position, such as indicated inbroken lines,

when the implement is backed up. The springs 81 (only one shown) may beof any type and the strength determined in accordance with the amount ofwork the supplemental mold-board and its wiper blade has to perform.

The manner of operation of the various forms of the inventionillustrated will be clear from the above, and it will be seen that asidefrom various novel constructional features I have provided atrack-clearing implement of the class shown which, except under unusualconditions, will completely clear the track surface; which will besilent in operation; will be automatic in its action in locally ridingover relatively fixed projections such as would have to be broken awayby or cause damage to rigid track-contacting elements of the kindpreviously in common use without yielding safety supports (it beingnoted that substantially only such portions of the rubber element will,in most instances, be raised by such projections and not the entireblade or blade section encountering the projection), -as formerly);which may be disposed for effective operation at various angles relativeto the direction of movement of the implement, so as to laterally movethe foreign material; which,'in the case of operation on slush e. g.over relatively smooth track surfaces, will operate to greatlyaccelerate drying and thereby greatly reduce trafflc hazards, and which,notwithstanding its nonrigid character,- is not nearly as subject toinjuryembraced between the mold-board and said member and depending pastboth into contact with the surface of the track to be cleared.

2. Ina track-clearing implement of the class described, a mold-board, asubstantially rigid plate-like member removably secured to themold-board at its lower margin, and a rubber member joined to the platemember for removal therewith from the mold-board, said rubber memberextending below the lower limit of the plate into wiping contact withthe surface of the track to be cleared.

' 3. In anapparatus of the class described, a mold-board, a rubbermember having two or more surfaces having relatively sharp edges, eachadapted to wipingly contact with a track surface,

and means to position the member on the moldboard to present said edgesinto wiping relation to the track, one at a time.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a moldfor attaching said memberto the mold-board.

6. In a track-clearing apparatus of the class described, a mold-board, asubstantially rigid downwardly and rearwardly extending blade-likemember thereon at its lower edge, and a rubber track-wiper underhangingthe blade-like memher and having a relatively sharp edge disposed towipingly contact with the track surface to be cleared.

'7. In a power-driven track-clearing implement, a mold-board and meansto support the same in generally upright position out of contact withthe surface of the track to be cleared, a rubber wiping member locatedbehind the mold-board and having a relatively sharp wiping edge inwiping contact with the track surface to be cleared, and means tosupport the wiping member in operative relation to the track. 7

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a mold-board carriedby the frame, means to movably support the mold-board for movement overthe track surface to be cleared and out of contact therewith, and arubber wiper member carried by the frame behind the moldboard, adaptedto wipingly contact with the track surface to be cleared, and meansseparate from the mold-board arranged to support and laterally guideaccumulated material from the wiper member. v

9. In a track-clearing implement of the class described, having amold-board and means to support the same for movement along a track tobe cleared, a track surface wiping member, comprising a strip ofyielding, resilient, elastic material of materially greater height thanthick ness, said strip being arranged to contact edge wise with thetrack and operatively bridge the mold-board and track, and being.sufiiciently' pliable so that, when in use, it will bend rearwardlythrough a substantial angle to present its edge to the track surface inthe manner of a squeegee.

10. In a track-clearing implement having a substantially rigidmold-board adapted to be supported in generally upright position withits lower edge elevated from the track surface to be cleared ofaccumulated material, and a yielding rubber member associated with thelower margin of the mold-board in such manner as to, in operativeeflect, extend the forward surface of the mold-board downwardly intowiping contact with such track surface, said member being disposedrelative to the mold-board, so that it makes initial contact with saidsurface along a line which is materially rearwardly from the lower edgeof the mold-board.

11. In an implement of the class described, in combination, a mold-boardand means to support the mold-board out of contact with the tracksurface to be cleared, a rubber member secured to its lower margin, andin effect continuing the forward surface of the mold-board downwardlyinto contact with the track surface, said member having a relativelysharp track-surface-wiping edge.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a mold-board, a rubbertrack-wiping member secured thereto at the lower edge of the moldboard,the rubber member being adjustable to different positions below the edgeof the moldboard so as' to vary its wiping action on a track surface.

EDWARD B. MEYER.

